Randall Fung IDST 37 Professor Landeros October 23, 2013 Critical Analysis 1 Slavery- this is a powerful word that

has much pain, suffering and history attached to it. Slavery was during the dark times of America and humanity. I often find myself wondering how any human could be so hateful towards another human. I first learned about slavery in my 7th grade history class. I sat there horrified as my teacher scrolled through all the gruesome pictures of whippings and torture. These terrifying images remain in my head to this day. In the book, A Larger Memory by Ronald Takaki, he includes an article From Sunup to Sundown: Laboring in the Cotton Fields. In this article, Takaki writes about some of the 4 million blacks during 1860 that accounted for 35 percent of the total American population. Slavery is a sick poison that strips the slave owners and slaves of their compassion. In a way, the slaveholders became slaves themselves. One thing that appalls me about slavery is the blatant knowledge of the White Americans dehumanizing the Blacks. During this time, the Constitution states that Blacks were considered 3/5th of a person. This is really disturbing and lacks any sort of compassion. How can anyone do this? Takaki recorded a slave who described the routine of a workday: The hands are required to be in the cotton field as soon as it is light in the morning, and, with the exception of ten or fifteen minutes, which is given to them at noon to swallow their allowance of cold bacon (page 79). This is the reality of Blacks during this time. They were used as if they were bulls, pulling a plow. I also thought the words used in this quote described the cold harsh reality for Blacks. The word allowance is so business-like. It is as if the cold bacon was only allowed to these Black slaves and could be taken away at any moment. The White people have such a tight leash around the Blacks. It is such a saddening fact to know that these people were oppressed to the point where they even had to lie and say they were grateful and happy. Slave masters would even state publically that their slaves were happy as Takaki writes, Slave masters often characterized their slaves as Sambos, docile and happy. Asked about whether he desired freedom, a slave replied to a curious visitor: No massa, me no want to be free, have good massa, take care of me when I sick, never buse nigger; no want to be free (page 80). In this quote, these slaves are forced to smile and show that they are content with what is happening, but everyone obviously knows that the slaves hold dark, secret thoughts of pain and suffering. Reading this quote that contains broken English demonstrates how Slaveholders want to give the least amount of education as possible, which is why the slaves speak with broken English. Education is power, and if all slaves have knowledge, they will rebel.

In conclusion, slavery is such an unnatural thing. It strips the humanity out of both the slave and the slave master. The slave master becomes a slave to society. Many slave masters mistreat and hate Blacks because they believe it is the right thing to do. Society has given the permission for Whites to become hostile and compassionless. It is unnatural for humans to hurt other humans. I am glad slavery has been wiped from America I hope that future generations will learn about history and never let it repeat.